Double ended, simultaneously adjustable wrench



Jan. 16, 1968 K. MAICHEN 3,353,490

DQUBLE ENDED, SIMULTANEOUSLY ADJUSTABLE WRENCH Filed June 5, 1967 WA I KARL" MA/c HEN BY M ATTORNEYS INVENTOR United States Patent 3,363,490 DOUBLE ENDED, SlMULTANEOUSLY ADJUSTABLE WRENCH Karl Maichen, Thalaclrerstrasse 12, Lauterach, Austria Filed June 5, 1967, Ser. No. 643,450 3 Claims. (Cl. 81-77) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to an adjustable, double-headed wrench, which comprises a handle consisting of two longitudinal members, which are relatively adjustable in the longitudinal direction and have at each end a Wrench jaw, and a slider, which is mounted in one of said members and is slidable transversely to the direction of movement of said member and connected to an eccentric pin, which is rotatably mounted in the other member and moves the longitudinal members relative to each other while displacing the slider.

The invention relates to an adjustable, double-headed wrench, which may be designed as a small pocket wrench or as a normal assembling tool and which is a modification of the wrench according to the US. Patent No. 3,282,136.

An important object of the invention is to provide a double-headed wrench which has completely smooth handle parts so that it will not damage the fabric when the wrench is carried without protection in a pocket of an overall.

It is another object of the invention to provide a special mechanism for a simultaneous, continuous adjustment of both heads of the wrench.

To accomplish these objects, the Wrench according to the invention comprises a handle consisting of two longitudinal members, which are longitudinally adjustable relative to each other, each of said members comprising at each end a jaw, the jaws at adjacent ends of the two members cooperating to form surfaces for receiving and gripping nuts, and a slider, which is mounted in one of said members for sliding movement transversely to the direction of movement of said member and connected to an eccentric pin, which is rotatably mounted in the other member and is rotatable to move said members relative to each other in the longitudinal direction and to effect a transverse displacement of the slider.

It is also a feature of the invention that the slider is in contact along at least one surface with the guide in the slidable handle member.

An embodiment of the wrench according to the invention is shown by way of example in the drawing in FIGS. 1 and 2 in a top plan view and an axial longitudinal sectional view, respectively.

The wrench 1 comprises a substantially U-shaped handle 1', which close to its one end has an aperture 2, which is symmetric with respect to the longitudinal axis. At their ends disposed close to the end face of the wrench, the straight side edges 3, 3' of the aperture 2 merge into two flanks 4, 4', which have the form of two adjacent flanks of a normal, closed wrench head. A push rod 6 is slideably mounted between the limbs of the U-shaped handle 1 and is provided at its end facing the flanks 4, 4' with opposite flanks 7, 7', which are arranged in mirror symmetry with respect to the flanks 4, 4. The other end 8' of the push rod 6 has the form of the jaw of an open wrench head and faces an opposite jaw 8 provided on the fixed handle 1'.

A hub 9 is provided at the center of the length of the handle 1 and is guided in a longitudinal slot 10 in the push rod 6. The hub 9 serves for mounting a pin 11, which at its end remote from the push rod 6 is provided with a threaded portion 12, which protrudes from the handle 1'. A knurled or milled nut 13 is tightened on the threaded portion 12. A brake spring 19 Wound around said nut serves for a smooth adjustment of the eccentric pin 11, 12. The other end of the pin 11 carries a disc 14, Which is eccentric with respect to the pin and fits a corresponding bore 15 in a rectangular slider 16. The latter is slidably mounted in the push rod 6 for sliding movement transversely to the longitudinal direction of said push rod. To this end, the push rod has a dovetail groove 17, in which the slider 16 is guided at its bevelled transverse faces 18 so that there is a surface contact between the two parts 6, 16. This surface contact is capable of transmitting large forces without damage.

A rotation of the nut 13 causes an adjustment of the closed and open head openings. Marks provided on the nut or on the outside surface of the disc 14 and an index on the handle 1 or on the push rod 6 may be used to indicate the size of the head opening.

Within the scope of the invention, the wrench may have closed or open heads at both ends. It is also possible to provide at one end or both ends a combination of a closed head and an open head. Finally, diiferent means may be used for guiding the slider 16 in the push rod 6.

In addition to the advantage mentioned hereinbefore, the wrench according to the invention is blocked by the increased friction which is effected by the friction surfaces between the slider and the ton ue support, and between the periphery of the concentric pin and the bore of the slider. The wrench according to the invention enables also a continuous adjustment of the head opening.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable, double-headed wrench, comprising a handle consisting of two longitudinal members, which are longitudinally adjustable relative to each other, each of said members comprising at each end a jaw, the jaws at adjacent ends of the two members cooperating to form surfaces for receiving and gripping nuts, and a slider, which is mounted in one of said members for sliding movement in the direction of movement of said member and connected to an eccentric pin, which is rotatably mounted in the other member and is rotatable to move said members relative to each other in the longitudinal dlirdection and to effect a transverse displacement of the s 1 er.

2. A wrench as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the slider is in contact at least along one surface with a guide in said one member.

3. A wrench as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that the slider is provided with bevelled transverse faces, which are in a dovetail groove of the slidable handle 3,282,136 11/1966 Maichen 8l77 FOREIGN PATENTS 551,057 12/1922 France. 749,827 5/1933 France.

MILTON S. MEHR, Primary Examiner. 

